Convertible submersible pump



Dec. 29, 1959 E, F, HOWE 2,918,876

CONVERTIBLE SUBMERSIBLE PUMP Filed March 1. 1956 Jz/ l United States Patent CONVERTIBLE SUBMERSIBLE PUMP Elta F. Howe, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Velma Rea Howe, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 1, 1956, Serial No. l568,909

4 Claims. (Cl. 103-87) This invention relates to a submersible pump and in particular to such a pump adapted for use alternatively as a clear liquid pump and a sewage pump.

The use of portable pump units for many applications is becoming increasingly substantial. Such uses include those in disposal systems having overhead gravity sewers, basement flood control systems, as auxiliary or booster pumps, and in the cleaning of tanks, such as grease basins and seepage basins. While the conventional submersible pump has been found to function quite satisfactorily where the liquid is relatively clear and free of suspended material, clogging and jamming of the pump mechanism often results where matter such as the solids found in normal sewage must be handled.

The principal feature of this invention is the provision of new and improved submersible pump means arranged for use alternatively as a liquid pump and a sewage pump.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a pump having disintegrator means for comminuting suspended matter in the liquid before it is admitted to the pump mechanism, which disintegrator means may be readily assembled to the pump mechanism when desired.

A further feature is that the disintegrator means is provided with a tubular housing which is readily removably connectable to the wall portion defining the pump inlet so as to effect a rerouting of lthe inlet flow into the path of the disintegrator blades.

'Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a submersible pump embodying the invention, and with portions thereof shown dotted;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately along the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawings, a submersible pump generally designated is seen to comprise a sealed drive means 11 connected to drive a liquid pump 12. Adapted to be readily connectable to the pump 12 is a disintegrator or comminuting means 13. Thus, submersible pump 10 may be utilized as a liquid pump without the disintegrator 13, or as a sewage pump by the ready installation of the disintegrator.

The drive means 11 normally will include a sealed electric motor having a suitable power supply cord 15 sealingly connected thereto. Such sealed submersible motor drives are well known in the art and need no further description here. Liquid pump means 12 comprises an outer housing 16 having a first bottom wall portion 17 defining an inlet opening 18 and a second side wall portion 19 defining an outlet opening 20. A depending skirt 21 extends from intermediate openings 18 and 20 so as to have a lower annular edge 22 lie in a plane spaced outwardlyfrom inlet opening 18. A plurality of slots 23 ICC are provided in skirt 21 to act as strainer inlets to pump means 12 when a suitable closing cover (not shown) is secured across skirt edge 22.

Interiorly of housing 16, there is provided an impeller shaft 24 which is adapted to be connected to the electric driving motor for rotation thereby and which carries a plurality of pump impeller bladesv 25. In the particular pump configuration used to illustrate the invention, the pump is of the centrifugal type and the blades act to draw liquid in through inlet 18 and force it outwardly through outlet 20.

The disintegrator means 13 includes a shaft 26 adapted to be secured to impeller shaft 24 coaxially therewith t0 extend outwardly from the shaft 24 through inlet opening 18. To this end, the inner end of shaft 26 is radially enlarged and provided with an axially outwardly opening recess 27 which is adapted to be received tightly on the outer end of impeller shaft 24. A hub 28 is carried on shaft 24 to support blades 25 and is provided with an axial, outward opening recess 29 which is adapted to receive snugly the inner end of shaft 26. To act as a positive abutment limiting the insertion of shaft 26 into recess 29, an annular shoulder 30 is provided on shaft 26 adjacent its inner end. An axial, threaded recess 31 in the outer end of impeller shaft 24 is adapted to threadedly receive a bolt 32 which is arranged to extend through a suitable axial bore 33 in shaft 26. A disintegrator blade assembly 34, comprising a plurality of spaced, rectangular disintegrator blades 35 centrally secured (by means suchas welding) to a cylindrical carrier 36, is mounted on a diametrically enlarged end portion 37 of shaft 26 extending exteriorly of inlet opening 18. To

secure assembly 34 to shaft 26, a set screw 38 extends through carrier 36 and into shaft end portion 37. This readily removable attachment of the disintegrator blade assembly to the shaft provides desirable ease of maintenance and replacement.

Secured to housing first wall portion 17 adjacent inlet opening 18, and extending across a portion of inlet opening 18 and into juxtaposition with shaft 26, is a flow pin 39. This pin acts to prevent the accumulation of fibrous material, such as paper, around shaft 26 which might otherwise tend to clog opening 18.

Means for cooperation with disintegrator blade assembly 34 to effect the comminution of the solids carried in the liquid is provided in the form of a solids retaining housing 48. Housing 40 is tubular and is arranged to extend from first wall portion 17 longitudinally outwardly to beyond the outer end of shaft 26. The internal' diameter of tubular housing 40 is substantially larger than the lateral extent of disintegrator blades 35 to provide clearance therefrom, but yet is suliciently small so as to have a retaining or holding effect on the solids during their comminution by the disintegrator 13. Laterally of disintegrator blade assembly 34, tubular housing 40 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite inlet passages 41 and 42, respectively.

Longitudinally outwardly o'f the outer end 43 of tubular housing 40 is a base plate 44. The base plate is provided centrally with an upstanding annular boss 45 having an internal diameter comparable to the external diameter of tubular housing 40 at outer end 43 so that (as best seen in Fig. 2) base plate 44 may be positioned across the open end 43 of housing 40 to sealingly close the o'pen Patented Dec. Z9, 1959 *L 3 allows the ready removability or installation of the studs when desired. Each stud 46 is threaded at its outer end 47 and base plate 44 is provided with suitable complementary holes 48 through which threaded ends 47 are passed. A first nut 49 is threadedly secured to threaded end 47 longitudinally inwardly of base plate 44 and a second nut 50 is threadedly secured to end 47 longitudinally outwardly of base plate 44, said nuts acting to secure the base plate therebetween. As nuts 49 and 5ft constitute adjustable securing means, the plane of base plate 44 may be adjustably positioned to accommodate the base plate properly against Outer end 43 of tubular housing 4i? and effect tight sealing engagement thereof with first wall portion 17 and the base plate notwithstanding some irregularity in the surface of wall portion 17 or the outer end 43. Further, it should be noted that should it be desired to remove tubular housing 4f) for any reason, nuts Si) only need be removed from the threaded ends 47 of studs 46 allowing the removal of base plate 44 and the tubular housing 4f). lf desired, a reinforcing boss 51 may be provided on base plate 44 immediately around holes 4S.

Studs 46 are arranged to extend parallel to the axis of shaft 26 and are spaced laterally outwardly therefrom at a substantial distance, being secured to the housing 16 adjacent skirt 21 and, correspondingly, adjacent the periphery of base plate 44. This disposition affords a broad support for the base plate effectively minimizing any pivoting tendency of forces acting on one portion of the periphery of the base plate, such as might be developed when the pump is dropped into position at the bottom of atank or similar chamber.

When disintegrator 13 is mo'unted, as indicated above, on pump 10, the slots 23 in skirt 21 are not in use. If desired, snap plugs 52 may be removably inserted in the slots to prevent accumulation of sludge and other materials therein and maintain the pump unit readily convertible.

The use and operation of my submersible pump is extremely simple. With the pump assembled as a sewage pump, as indicated above, it is merely lowered into positio'n in the chamber from which the sewage is to be pumped. Cord 15 is then electrically connected to any suitable source of electrical power (not shown). As the electric motor is sealed, the pump may be positioned within the liquid sewage as desired. Pump means 12, being actuated by the operation of electric motor, acts to draw the sewage liquid through inlet passages 41 and into' the chamber formed by the first wall portion 17 of housing 16, tubular housing 40 and base plate 44. Disinfegrator blades 35, which are being rotated through their connection to impeller shaft 24 by means of shaft 26, act in cooperation with the retaining action of ho'using 40 to comminute or distintegrate the suspended matter in the sewage liquid prior to the drawing of the liquid into pump means 12. Any paper or other similar fibrous material which may tend to wrap around shaft 26 is effectively prevented from doing so' and blocking inlet 18 by the action of flow pin 39 extending across the inlet. The liquid containing relatively small particles is then pumped by means 12 outwardly through outlet opening 2t) and through a discharge duct 53 which may deliver the liquid as desired.

If it is desired to utilize pump without distintegrator 13, the unthreading of studs 45 from housing f6 allows the ready removability of base plate 44 and tubular housing 40. Removal of bolt 32 allows shaft 26 to be removed readily from engagement with impeller shaft 24. If desired, the opening defined by annular edge 22 of skirt 21 may be closed and plugs 52 removed, allowing slots 23 to act as strainer inlets for the pump.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Submersible pump means of the character described, readily convertible alternately to a liquid pump and a sewage pump, comprising: sealed drive means; a pump having an enclosing housing, impeller means in said housing and including a shaft rotatable by said drive means and having an end within said housing, a first wall portion of said housing defining an inlet opening axially of said shaft for admitting fluid material into said pump, and a second wall portion of said housing defining an outlet opening for discharging fluid material from said pump; means on said housing defining a base for retaining the housing in an operative position when desired; disintegrator means including a shaft having one end adapted to be removably secured to said end of the impeller shaft in axially aligned engagement and a portion adapted to extend through said inlet opening, at least one disintegrator blade carried by said shaft portion eX- teriorly of said housing; a tubular housing adapted to surround said disintegrator blades in spaced relation therewith, said tubular housing having an end adapted to abut said first wall portion surrounding said inlet opening, with the other end of said tubular housing being adapted to extend longitudinally outwardly of said portion of the disintegrator means shaft, said tubular housing having a mid-portion having an opening defining an inlet passage; a base plate for supporting the entire pump means; and readily removable means for securing said base plate across said other end of the tubular housing and urging forcibly said base plate toward said first wall portion to clamp said tubular housing sealingly between said base plate and said first wall portion.

2. Submersible pump means of the character described, readily convertible alternately to a liquid pump and a sewage pump, comprising: sealed drive means; a pump having an enclosing housing, impeller means in said housing and including a shaft rotatable by said drive means and having an end within said housing, a first wall portion of said housing defining an inlet opening axially of said shaft for admitting fluid material into said pump, and a second wall portion of said housing defining an outlet opening for discharging fluid material from said pump; means on said housing defining a base for retaining the housing in an operative position when desired; disintegrator means including a shaft having one end adapted to be removably secured to said end of the impeller shaft in axially aligned engagement and a portion adapted to extend through said inlet opening, at least one disintegrator blade carried by said shaft portion exteriorly of said housing; a tubular housing adapted to surround said disintegrator blades in spaced relation therewith, said tubular housing having an end adapted to abut said first wall portion surrounding said inlet opening, with the other end of said tubular housing being adapted to lie longitudinally outwardly of said portion of the disintegrator means shaft, said tubular housing having a midportion having an opening defining an inlet passage; a base plate for supporting the entire pump means; and a plurality of threaded rods arranged to extend parallel to said disintegrator means shaft and spaced radially outwardly at a substantial distance therefrom, each rod having one end portion adapted to be secured removably to said first wall portion and an opposite end portion adapted to carry readily removable said base plate and to hold said base plate tightly against said tubular housing other end and clamp said tubular housing against said first wall portion, said radially spaced positioning of said rods acting to provide a broad support means for said base plate.

3. Submersible pump means of the character described, readily convertible alternately to a liquid pump and a sewage pump, comprising: sealed drive means a pump having an enclosing housing, impeller means in said housing and including a shaft rotatable by said drive means and having an end within said housing, a first wall portion of said housing defining an inlet opening axially of said shaft for admitting fluid material into said pump, and a second wall portion of said housing defining an outlet opening for discharging fluid material from said pump; means on said housing defining a base for retaining the housing in an operative position when desired; disintegrator means including a shaft having one end adapted to be removably secured to said end of the impeller shaft in axially aligned engagement and a portion adapted to extend through said inlet opening, at least one disintegrator blade carried by said shaft portion to be exteriorly of said housing; a tubular housing adapted to surround said disintegrator blades in spaced relation therewith, said tubular housing having an end adapted to abut said first wall portion surrounding said inlet opening, with the other end of said tubular housing being adapted to extend longitudinally outwardly of said portion of the disintegrator means shaft, said tubular housing having a mid-portion having an opening defining an inlet passage; a base plate for supporting the entire pump means; and a plurality of threaded rods each having an end portion adapted to be secured removably to said first wall portion and an opposite end portion, and each rod having a pair of spaced nuts carried on said opposite end portion and arranged to clamp a portion of the base plate therebetween and to hold said base plate tightly against said tubular housing other end and clamp said tubular housing against said rst wall portion, with each pair of nuts being positionable longitudinally on said rods to permit angular adjustment of the plane of said base plate to accommodate said base plate positively to said tubular housing other end and assure tight sealed engagement of the tubular housing with the base plate and first wall portion.

4. Disintcgrator means of the character described, for

use with a submersible pump having sealed drive means, a pump having an enclosing housing, impeller means in said housing and including a shaft rotatable by said drive means and having an end within said housing, an inlet through said housing and axially of said shaft for admitting iiuids into said pump housing, and an outlet for discharging fluids from said pump housing, comprising: means on said housing defining a base for retaining the housing in an operative position when desired; a shaft having one end adapted to be removably secured to said end of the impeller shaft in axially aligned engagement and a portion adapted to extend through the inlet opening; at least one disintegrator blade carried by said shaft portion to be exteriorly of the pump housing; a tubular housing adapted to surround said disintegrator blades in spaced relation therewith, said tubular housing having an end adapted to abut the first wall portion surrounding the pump inlet, with the other end of said tubular housing being adapted to extend longitudinally outwardly of said portion of the disintegrator means shaft, said tubular housing having a mid-portion having an opening defining an inlet passage; a base plate for supporting the entire pump means; and readily removable means for securing said base plate across said other end of the tubular housing and urging forcibly said base plate toward the pump housing to clamp said tubular housing sealingly between said base plate and the pump housing.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,766 Durdin Feb. 4, 1936 2,130,583 Fosnot Sept. 20, 1938 2,295,982 Widman Sept. l5, 1942 2,718,012 Howe Sept. 20, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 584,395 Great Britain Jan. 14, 1947 

